


Cyclical

by Terra_Reiin



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen
Genre: Gen, Introspection, Land of the Moon Arc reference, Ninja, Rain Village, Rolling Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-21 13:24:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21075605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terra_Reiin/pseuds/Terra_Reiin
Summary: Rain is supposed to be cleansing.





	Cyclical

Kakashi had been expecting a little tension.

He breathes, scenting the comforting closeness of his students, mingled with the primary client and assorted entourage. Secondary is the cloying scent of marshy terrain and mist saturated surroundings. Natural. Safe.

There is something about the rain though.

The closer they get to the city, the easier it is to detect the change. The barrier's cloaking is exceptional. From the innocent facade of high-rise buildings clouded by light cumulonimbus and made indistinct by gentle drizzle, one could almost think the country was on the mend. In a state of stability if not prosperity.

In the distance civilians flit about in the gloom, backs straight, postures going uncowed by the shinobi that walk among them.

And yet.

There is a buzz in the air, like lightning residue, chakra saturating every breath, tingling in his lungs. The mud rots undisturbed and the tang of iron lies heavy on his tongue.

Rain is not a country at peace. 

Hanzo, for all his warmongering, had been the spearhead of his entire people. Had been a timeless entity the citizens could prop up and get behind as a symbol of their nation. His death is almost unto the death of the nation.

A slow, agonizing descent into anonymity.

Rain has new leadership now, though there was little Intel on them so far. At most, Konoha knew they were of a subtler sort, a different ken to the Salamander. The way the various power blocks in Rain had consolidated under a single rule with disquieting speed was proof of their abilities. A Kage to watch.

Honestly, Kakashi would have been more worried if the place _had_ been peaceful. Sudden tranquility in a place that had almost only ever known war never boded well.

Team 7 circles the group in a loose diamond formation, Shikako taking advantage of previous rapport to sidle closer to the new heir to the throne. He engages her easily enough in a discussion on archery, childish face lit up from the attention. 

The boys mingle at the fringes, Sasuke on the left and Sai in the rear, keeping to the civilian pace.

Kakashi as Team Leader flanks the King in the centre, skirting the courtiers surrounding the royal. 

He needs to be close enough, yes, but he’s hardly willing to spend the rest of the trip on high alert _ and _ in an inane discussion on some export of tea or the other. 

There are other ways to make his brain leak out of his ears and boredom is hardly Kakashi’s first choice.

Still, it was a simple bodyguard mission (_ A B-rank even!) _ in somewhat neutral territory and with clients they were familiar with. 

He was crossing his fingers hoping nothing would go wrong. 

\--

His cute little student takes one look at the head of the Rain delegation and immediately tries to bolt.

Or well, she makes an aborted movement to bolt that she disguises as a shiver from the cold before crowding closer ever so slightly, eyes sharp, which naturally sets off the rest of his kids.

_ 'Update.' _ Kakashi signals to them, drifting forward to shadow Prince Michiru as the large man greets their hosts cheerily.

The Head of the Rain delegation is young, long orange hair spilling over his forehead protector, nearly obscuring the village symbol. His face is pierced, but he stares them down with ease, even as he aims a slight bow in the King's direction.

_ 'Surrounded. Foe.' _She flicks back almost too shakily to comprehend.

They...hadn’t been followed. Even if they counted the Rain nin-escort everyone was politely pretending to ignore, it was hardly enough for an ambush.

_ ‘Clarify.’ _ his fingers drum against the spine of his book, seemingly absorbed in his reading.

There were six Rain delegates, three of which he was sure were nothing more than civilians. The others...Jounin, possible Black Ops. This was not an event a new Kage would deign to come down for, especially when non-allied ninja were guaranteed to be present. It was a _movie screening_ for Kami's sake.

Shikako’s eyes dart back and forth beneath her lashes, focusing on enemies Kakashi cannot yet sense.

_ 'Everywhere.' _ Slower now as they enter the heart of Rain. _ '...Suppressed.' _ Her fingers twitch out before falling limp. Kakashi’s shoulders go tight as Shikako gasps under her breath.

That King Michiru had chosen now of all times to implement some form of a noble’s idea of _equality_ by introducing his ninja guard himself to the Rain ninja representative while his student freaks out internally under the awning is ridiculous, but Kakashi dispenses the necessary pleasantries, keeping one eye on his kids.

Sasuke puts his captaincy experience to good use, coming up to take point as Shikako gathered herself; Sai planting himself in Kakashi’s peripheral vision. In this way, they head towards the cinema in earnest, the orange-haired delegate, Yahiko, leading the way.

It is only when they clear the enormous gateway into Rain proper that the rain hits him and he feels it.

_ Eyes upon Eyes upon Eyes. _

** _Everywhere._ **

\--

Rain is cold.

Moon's gentle showers are a far cry from the grey that looms over the behemoth of a city, pelting drops that slide icy trails on your skin, as if protesting the man-hewn spires that pierce the skies above.

Hikaru shivers in his hanten, burying gloved hands deep into his sleeves. 

Still, drawing attention to it would be rude.

He shifts as they pass into the cinema. Aside from the guards, there is little fanfare, no roaring crowds pushing for attention. The people here are silent but reverent as they behold the procession, eyes fervent under rain hoods, staring fixedly at the orange haired man and the quiet blue lady. Hikaru shivers again, turning away. 

At least the theatre is warm as they settle down, staff in slightly brighter clothing than people from earlier, ushering them all into their seats with the ease of long practice.

He cuddles closer into the plushness of his father’s coat, thankful that his age allows for the movement without offering insult to their hosts.

Father pauses in the middle of his conversation to turn a gentle smile his way, tucking Hikaru under his arm.

Hikaru is still getting used to the attention. The eyes of his indulgent, once childish ‘Papa’ having steeled into an amalgam of his past, princely self and something truly regal he’d only ever seen in Grandfather. Still, his gaze is soft as ever as they look upon him, questioning his comfort.

Hikaru nodded jerkily, pleased, smile tucked up tight like a little origami frog in the folds of his scarf, watching his Father go back to conversing with the Orange Guy and the Blue Lady with ease, statecraft flowing easier now that the mantle of responsibility had begun to tie him down, no, steady his foundations into a man greater than he once was.

His country too, from a collection of citizens prospering in the same location to a people, united under a banner other than profit. Bonds strengthened through sheer hardship and a little help.

At the thought, Hikaru looks up.

The movie has not yet started and already there are ninja on the ceiling.

Hikaru likes to think of it as funny. They've been seated next to the Rain delegation which, from his father's brightening smile, is a big deal. Their ninja guards don't seem to think so, Shikako especially, moving back and forth on the ceiling like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. More so every time the long-haired orange guy glances at them.

She’d seemed a little peaky on the way in, cringing away from the rain like it...burnt her. Still, she’d recovered quickly once they’d entered the movie theatre, climbing up the wall to the arranged ceiling seating with the same unthinking, enviable ease as the other ninja.

The movie begins in earnest and Hikaru can't help but smile as the brightening silhouette of the Land of the Moon is revealed. 

The title beams out, in bold red katakana

'The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja'

And something cracks.

\---

“_Well, I am going to break that curse one day. If there is truly peace in this world...then I am going to find it,” _ the ninja on screen promises, his defeated foe looking away.

The Rain leader, lets out a slow measured breath, nails unhooking from where they had dug into the arm rests. He turns to his companion, voice low murmuring on the virtue of men and the so called peace.

“Justice” in his eyes is likened to “vengeance” which in turn forges the first link in the chains of hatred that bind their people to war. His words are dark, but the tone is low, almost devout, the shine in his odd, odd, eyes bright.

Hikaru isn’t sure the movie went over as well as had been hoped.

He feigns ignorance, toying with his handheld now that his fingers are _finally_ warm enough, the theatre lights already beginning to come on.

_Still…_

The man’s words had struck a chord, ringing with a sort of bitter truth, wrapped around the bright flame that had been the Gutsy Ninja’s bleak but ultimately hopeful ending.

Hikaru can still feel the silent footsteps of his guard thudding against his rib cage, from where he was held tight in his arms, the even rhythm at odds with his own pounding heart. 

Remembers nerveless fingers slipping from his face, hot tears spilling over his cheeks, in contrast to the rasp on crumbling flesh turned stone cooling beneath his fingertips as what remained of his grandfather slipped away.

Remembers the sheer efficiency of the girl who had played shadow puppets with a shy smile, given him pointers on his aim on with his little bow and had yet barked orders to her team, uncaring, or unaware of the fresh scarlet smeared across the bridge of her nose to come up with a plan to ensure their safety.

The awful crack that would haunt his nightmares for years to come as that boy's arm, Shikako's brother, shattered. The resultant dead stare on her face as she left on what they had been sure was a suicide run.

The crumbling palace they returned to and yet so many guards, implicit in the betrayal, still left alive, Shabadaba slung carelessly over her shoulder as she came up to fuss at her team.

Ninja are creatures of violence.

Yet they were capable of kindness.

The visage of the main character dims with the end of the movie, but continued glaring defiantly into the camera, expression unshakable and determined in his promise.

Hikaru thinks it is might be possible, knowing what he does of them. A peace born from blood and ash.

Moon is almost testament to that in its own way.

Hikaru silently wishes them luck. 


End file.
